Harman-owned classic British hi-fi brand ARCAM has just announced a complete rebranding of its corporate image. The Cambridge-based company says the rollout of its new branding captures its reputation for great sound, pays homage to its British heritage, and offers affordable luxury.
The new look was revealed yesterday to selected ARCAM customers and assorted media at London’s Vinyl Factory. The launch coincided with the unveiling of ARCAM’s new Radia Series, a brand-new family of luxury audio separates, including the A5/A15/A25 integrated amplifiers, the CD5 CD player, and ST5 high-resolution streamer.
ARCAM was founded in 1976 and the rebrand is part of the company’s strategy to appeal to a new and younger segment of customers by offering affordable, sleek and attractively designed audio equipment to a new generation of consumers.
Tim Giblin is director of global marketing for Harman’s portfolio brands: “There is a third core customer where we see an opportunity, and that’s younger audio enthusiasts who are ready to elevate their sound systems by making investments in high-end systems but who are more budget conscious or, as we say, luxury within reach.”
The main feature of the new ARCAM rebranding is the introduction of Radia Yellow, a color chosen for its contemporary look and its differentiation from the rest of the audio industry. ARCAM has incorporated Radia Yellow throughout its first five new Radia products.
The rebranding and product design don’t just involve using a unique and distinctive color. The ARCAM products are designed to be displayed in the open while blending into a listening environment. There are also subtle design features that ARCAM has created to be gently discovered while enhancing the performance of the products.
At the rebranding launch, all five new Radia Series models were on display: the ARCAM A5, A15 and A25 integrated amplifiers, the CD5 CD player, and the ST5 high-resolution streamer.
With an initial offering of Class AB and G integrated amplifiers, plus a matching streamer and CD player, these new ARCAM separates feature a new industrial design alongside the marketing refresh.
All the new ARCAM Radia amplifiers feature Bluetooth aptX Adaptive receivers, internal antennas and digital inputs, plus ARCAM’s signature MM phono stage for vinyl turntables. The 2 x 50W A5 and 2 x 100W A15 amplifiers are Class AB and include new digital circuitry based on the ESS ES9018 DAC chipset. The 2 x 100W A25 steps up to a Class G amplification and uses the high-end ESS ES9280AQ DAC. The A25 also has USB-C inputs, LED illuminated highlights, plus a seamless OLED display on the front panel.
With its internal Wi-Fi antenna, the sleek-looing ARCAM ST5 music streamer can handle an impressive list of music streaming services, including Amazon Music Unlimited, Qobuz, Internet radio, podcasts, Tidal Connect, and Spotify Connect. The ST5 streamer also supports MQA files, Google Chromecast, Apple Airplay 2 and is Roon Ready.
Finally, the new ARCAM CD5 CD player can play CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs. The player also has a USB port for playing audio from mass-storage devices like hard drives and SSDs. The CD5 can play FLAC, WAV, and MP3 audio files. Both the ST5 and CD5 feature an ESS ES9018 DAC with a maximum 24-bit/192-kHz resolution playback.
Pricing & Availability: The ARCAM A5, A15, A25, CD5 and ST5 will go on sale during October 2023 at the following prices:
- ARCAM A5: £749 / $699 / €849
- ARCAM A15: £1,099 / $999 / €1,249
- ARCAM A25: £1,499 / $1,499 / €1,799
- ARCAM CD5: £699 / $699 / €799
- ARCAM ST5: £799 / $799 / €949
More info: arcam.co.uk
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